Principal Team Editorial
Honour Roll Assembly
Last week, our VCE students attended the Honour Roll assembly acknowledging the outstanding academic achievements of last year’s students who placed in the top 9% of VCE students by receiving a 90+ ATAR result. Katherine Styles, our 2025 Dux, shared her advice which centred around maintaining a life outside of study but ensuring you maximise your study time with high impact study techniques which will make a difference. Some of the effective techniques she suggested that worked for her was re-teaching what she learned that day to her parents and regularly reviewing/retrieving new concepts and ideas.
She encouraged students to enjoy these special years at school where students strengthen lifelong friendships with peers and partner with their teachers to get the very best out of their final year of school.
Year 7 Camp
At the other end of the school, we welcomed our Year 7’s home from camp where they spent three days having a wonderful time forging new friendships and connections. It was great to see so many smiling faces as the buses arrived back and teachers couldn’t speak more highly of how connected, respectful and lovely the students were.
A special shout out to our Year 10 Peer Support Leaders who spent 3 days leading the activities and offering help and guidance, again teachers couldn’t speak more highly of how brilliant they were in supporting the 7s and helping them feel more connected to our school, to each other and to their teachers.
In the classroom…
HIGH EXPECTATIONS for LEARNING
This week is our ‘Learning Check In’ week with teachers contacting families if there are emerging signs of students falling behind in their learning. We know how important it is to flag concerns early and make sure we are doing everything we can to support students to stay engaged and productive in their learning. Our upcoming ARC conferences will be an opportunity for students to review their learning behaviours across all their classes and become ‘drivers’ of their learning.
Beyond the classroom…
Swimming Carnival
We had a great day out at the Croydon Pool last week for our annual swimming carnival. The behaviour and participation of students was exceptional with our year 12 students leading by example in the way they behaved and participated in all the events. Get all the results in the Swimming Carnival page of this Newsletter.
iCan Challenge
Training walks are back with the momentous event fast approaching. Our team is bigger and better than ever with more staff, students and parents than previous years. This year we look forward to featuring our very own Clarke Bull running instead of walking the 50km and seeing how many students can keep up with him.
The event is not only a great physical challenge but a significant community event bringing us all together to raise awareness and funds for the Royal Children's Hospital. We look forward to taking our community along with us for the ride as we strive to raise $100,000.00. Please sponsor our walkers HERE.
Special Event
The Andrew Lewis Theatre
Throughout, Andrew’s 27 years at Wantirna College, his commitment and dedication to the College has been extensive, particularly in the Performing Arts, Sports and Operations area of the school, and his involvement in nearly every school event that has ever been held in the Theatre is significant. His technical expertise in using the lighting and sound equipment will be greatly missed as will his leadership of the space which supports school events.
Culturally, he has become an icon of our school and his name is synonymous with the Theatre and all the events that are held in that space. With his impending retirement at the end of this year, it is my great privilege to announce that the College theatre will be formally named The Andrew Lewis Theatre.
We invite current, and past, students, staff and families to join us for a special naming and celebration event:
2pm - 3pm
Saturday 21 March 2026
College Theatre
RSVP: 'Andrew Lewis Theatre' Naming Ceremony & Celebration – Fill in form
Parent Forum
6pm Tue 3 March, Staff Lounge
All Parents/Carers are welcome to meet with me in the staff lounge once a term to hear about how we are tracking as a school and provide feedback about how your child is going. Everyone is welcome.
Carrie Wallis
Principal